Frequently Asked Questions

Before contacting us, please browse our FAQ

I am a Charity Administrator

What is Elevate Auctions?

We are a team of people who know their way around fundraising. Our main goal is to help you raise more money whether it be through live, silent or online auctions. Auctions are a great way to add excitement to your fundraising efforts and raise more money in the process.

How does it work?

We do everything auction related. Depending on what kind of event you are hosting, we welcome you to visit or call us, we can review your event and provide a free consultation. Check out our showroom and get an idea first hand of all the no-risk items we are able to offer for your fundraising event. You can register online as a nonprofit organization, which will allow you to browse our no-risk catalogue of items. This is also where you can host an online auction (see below for online auction FAQs). Check out our services section on the website for further information.

What does "no-risk" mean?

When selecting items from our catalogue, there are no upfront costs. This means if any of your items do not sell, we take them back at no cost. We supply you with a minimum price on all of our items so you know what to start bidding on and you offer at your event (live, silent or online). When your reserve price is met, you keep all the funds above our cost. It is zero risk but high reward for your group.

Is GST included in the price of the no-risk items?

GST is not included in the price of the no-risk items, and will be calculated on your invoice at time of billing.

How do I consign your no-risk merchandise?

Simple. Create an online account as a Charity Administrator to view our catalogue of items. Make note of which items you wish to consign and contact us to confirm the items are in-stock. If we are out of something, chances are they can be ordered or a suitable replacement will be suggested.

What types of items do you offer?

Elevate scours the United States and Canada to find truly unique and one-of-a-kind items to make your auction the talk of the town. Our vast inventory of no-risk items includes sports & celebrity memorabilia, fashion items, jewellery, travel experiences and so much more. Our autographed items are 100% authentic and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We pride ourselves in working with only the best suppliers.

Can we sell more than one of your no-risk items?

YES. All of our trip experiences can be sold multiple times. If you are looking to sell multiples of a memorabilia item - touch base with your event manager to ensure that we have extras in-stock.

Online Auctions

How do I get my online auction started?

To create an Online Auction you will need:

Banner graphic (2160px x 890px) jpg,png or gif

Thumbnail graphic (468px x 350px) jpg,png or gif

Items to auction and sell

Someone to market and promote

Supporters

How does pre-bidding work prior to my Live Event?

Easy. First, contact us to get everything set up. From there you will create your banner and thumbnail graphics that will match your Live Event theme. Find 6-8 items you want to showcase or showoff. These would be one-of-a-kind and special items. Visitors should be able to view your online site at least 1 week prior to your live event. Pre-bidding offers your guests to get a sneak peek before the event and to get the bidding started. This gives your items better exposure and higher bids. All winning bids will be taken to the event and the bidding will begin at that amount.

How will people see my online auction?

Each auction is featured on our home page and a link is sent out to our registered Elevate bidders/followers. Elevate will promote your online auction on Facebook and Twitter to drive additional traffic. You will be in charge of promoting and marketing to your donor base.

Where do I get items for my auction?

Reach out to your supporters and current donor base. Find out what donations you can acquire.

Select some of Elevate's no-risk items to compliment your donations. For example, if you have no wine tastings or chef dinners, add some from our catalogue.

Who is responsible for shipping?

This is up to you. If you only want the items to be available for pick up then include that in your shipping information when creating your auction. Otherwise, include info that the winner will be responsible for cost of shipping. If the default shipping costs you set on the Shipping info section are not correct for an item, you can set item-specific shipping costs when adding or editing an item. Simply click the edit link next and change the shipping costs for that location. The new shipping costs you enter will only be applied to that item.

Where is our online auction hosted and do you provide uptime guarantees?

Providing a secure, no-risk auction is our commitment. Your auction is hosted in a secure data centre in downtown Calgary and we guarantee 99.9% uptime for your auction.

How much does my online auction cost?

Do-it-yourselfYou do it all. You have access to any no-risk Elevate catalogue items and we are here to help every step of the way.$99 plus 6%

ConciergeWe do it all. We create your banner graphic. You supply us with your item images and descriptions and we set your auction up for you. All you need to do is promote away!$150 plus 12%

What do your online auctions include?

Unlimited Items & Bidders

Unlimited Images for Item

Auction Analytics

Secure Cashout & Collection (we accept payments)

Email Support

Mobile Optimized

Funds Raised Goal Tracking

Donate Now Feature

Extending Bidding

Max Bidding

Sales Summary

Access to Elevate Catalogue

How long can I run my auction?

You can run your auction for as long as you wish. From our experience, it is best to run your auction anywhere from 7-14 days. The best days to start your auction are Mondays and the best day to end you auction are Sunday's. The best time to start is 9am and the best time to end is between 8-10pm. Remember not to have your auction start or end on a holiday.

Help. I cannot upload my images.

Your uploading image file must be a jpg, png or gif.

Who do I contact for help?

We're available anytime to answer your questions. Our general e-mail is info@elevateauctions.com or you can call (403) 287-8439.